Crews will begin demolishing a row of empty storefronts Wednesday on the 1400 block of Indian Wells Road.

A press release issued by the city states the intersections of Indian Wells at Washington Avenue and Pecan Street, as well as Pecan Street at 25th Street, will be effected by the work.

District 4 Commissioner Josh Rardin said the city acquired the block of store front property and intends to remove it to shift Pecan Street to the west so it becomes aligned with Washington Avenue.

He said the city plans to place a stoplight at the realigned intersection to alleviate some of the traffic woes in the area.

Rardin said funding has been tentatively approved for the project and is part of a road improvement program for which the city has borrowed money from the New Mexico Finance Authority.

City Attorney Stephen Thies said the building and some property north of it was purchased for about $220,000 and the realignment project is set to cost "a little more than $1 million."

Rardin said the city has several realignment projects in the works, including the one at Pecan Street and Washington Avenue at Indian Wells, as well as Panorama Boulevard and Hamilton Road; and Washington Avenue and First Street.

The project is part of a longer list of road improvements the city commission approved in November. That list includes several intersection realignments and reconfigurations, road widenings, extensions to Fairgrounds Road and various other improvements throughout the city.

The city has budgeted about $7.

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62 million for the road projects, city records show.

The demolition work on Indian Wells is scheduled to continue until Friday, and motorists and pedestrians are advised to use caution when traveling through the area. People should expect road closures and detours, according to a press release.

Contact John Bear at jbear@alamogordonews.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnbearwithme